


Awakening

by bad_grammar (transience)



Series: Akashi's Aftermath [3]
Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: M/M, but nothing too extreme, kinda ooc kuroko?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-25
Updated: 2014-09-01
Packaged: 2018-02-14 15:58:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2197905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/transience/pseuds/bad_grammar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Akashi awakens in Kuroko's apartment and sleeps over.<br/>A Nightmare, A Kiss, An Ending.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Gratitude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akashi wakes up in Kuroko's apartment, and they feign easy conversation as if their friendship had never ended back in the reign of other-Akashi in Teiko.

Akashi tosses and turns, letting out a soft groan as he blinks away the sleepiness in his eyes. He could tell by the feel of the sheets that he isn’t at his home, but then where is he? He stays lying down on the double bed in the crumpled plain white sheets, staring at the plain white ceiling. A plain wooden desk sits at the side. A soft stirring attracts Akashi’s attention and he rolls over to see a dozing shadow on an unassuming armchair.

Akashi gets up and rouses the smaller male. “Wh-?” Akashi begins.

“Doesn’t Akashi-kun recall fainting?” Kuroko interrupts, voice laced with feigned innocence.  
“Akashi-kun so mean, you were heavy!” Kuroko whines with a tiny smile, eyes shining, after a sharp retort from Akashi.

“Now you sound like Ryouta,” Akashi remarks offhandedly, thoroughly unaffected as Kuroko laughs softly. Akashi wonders though, how Kuroko had managed to carry him here by himself.

Neither bring up the previous night, after all they had a lot of catching up to do. The last time they really spoke was back at Teiko, before the whole deal with Atsushi. Akashi was grateful how Kuroko seemed to sense his need for a relaxed atmosphere, one they might have had if not for him, the other him that is. Kuroko doesn’t miss the slight shake of Akashi’s hand as he recalls his failures, his weaknesses, his mistakes, his shortcomings, his-

“Akashi-kun should rest. His fever only broke early this morning,” Kuroko breaks the silence. Akashi blinks, tension from clenched fists rapidly ebbing. Tetsu was up this morning… taking care of him?

“Tetsuya’s assistance is much appreciated, however Tetsu should know that it wasn’t necessary, I am fully capable of looking after myself,” Akashi tries.

“Of course, Akashi-kun,” Kuroko replies with a terse nod and a small smile, not missing the implied ‘Thank You’.


	2. Silence

Akashi _finds_ himself strumming his fingers on the white unadorned plastic tabletop in Kuroko's kitchen, eyes following Kuroko as he waits for his toast, before gazing out the little window by the table, feeling the sunlight warm his face. He is absentmindedly stirring his cup of milk tea when he feels Kuroko's gaze on him, and he turns to face his former teammate with an inquiring look in his eyes.

"Is Akashi-kun all right?" Kuroko asks, face as stoic as ever, yet Akashi can feel those seemingly innocent blue eyes boring into him, as if answers could be found by mere observation. And perhaps if it weren't Akashi, Kuroko would have. He had always been exceptional at observing people, never missing the slightest touch or the slightest sign of any irregularity.

"Care to elaborate, Tetsuya?"

Kuroko shifts, "I don't recall... Akashi-kun was never this... vacant."

"It's been a long time, Tetsuya," is all Akashi offers. He knows it's not enough, but he is relieved nonetheless when Kuroko leans back in his foldable seat and takes a tiny bite of his grilled cheese sandwich.

Akashi sips his tea, and watches as the sunlight danced in the cool blue of Kuroko's hair, weaving in ribbons of light through messy locks, through piercing eyes, illuminating his features, and Akashi thinks he could be content just watching his shadow in the light, even if the light could not be himself.

 

 

They spend the rest of the day lounging in the living room, Kuroko leaning against the corner of his little book nook with his knees drawn up, and Akashi sitting primly on the couch, as regal as ever... no, almost, but not quite.

Kuroko doesn't miss the slight slouch in Akashi's normally perfect posture, the slight pause in his fingers before he turns a page, the silence when he doesn't turn a page, and instead stares at the same page for minutes on end. Kuroko doesn't miss the flashes of emotion that briefly cross Akashi's face, and the subtle clenching of fists nor the break between his breaths.

But Kuroko ignores all these signs despite the warning bells in his head that scream at him to go over and say something, _do_ something, that tell him to touch him, hug him, _kiss_ him, for he knows Akashi. And he knows Akashi would not open up just yet, and the least he could do was pretend thathe didn't notice Akashi's facade slipping more and more as the pages turn.

 

 

Kuroko is pleasantly surprised to find out how in sync they were after the long months of separation. Then again, Akashi was gifted at reading other people.

Kuroko offers for Akashi to stay the night with a mere glance, and Akashi accepts with a tilt of the head. No words are exchanged, and it reminds Akashi all too well of what they had in Teiko. Akashi remembers Kuroko staying back with him as he guides Kuroko with terse sentences, and the comfortable silence only broken by the steady dribbling of the ball in Akashi's hand that falls after. He remembers the look Kuroko gave him then, and he can't help but close his eyes, imagining that the turning pages were the bouncing of a ball on the wooden parquet.

And when it's time to settle in bed, Kuroko wordlessly pulls out a futon and draws the curtains while Akashi grabs the sheets and a pillow and they fall asleep to the other's breathing, neither stirring in their sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Akashi sees Kuroko as he falls into the pit, and he lunges forward despite the burning pain in his legs, only to fall and land sprawled on the floor, hands still outstretched right at the edge of the pit he recognises all too well. His hands grasp desperately, but only meet air. Akashi drags himself forward and sees Kuroko's face, tears flowing down his cheeks as dark tendrils wove around his limbs and pulled him further in, and he sees the small smile Kuroko still wears on his face. 

"Goodbye, Akashi-kun. I-"

Then he was gone, lost to the pit that was Akashi yet not Akashi. But whichever way, it was still Akashi's fault. If only he hadn't destroyed the team back in Teiko, maybe Kise or Aomine or Murasakibara or Midorima, heck everyone seemed more capable of Akashi right now, would be around to pull Kuroko out. Akashi had failed again, failed Kuroko again, and this time, Kuroko won't be there to pick up the pieces and rebuild them into a different picture no one else could see.

The voice in the pit laughed as Akashi Seijuro hugged himself on the biting cold stone sobbing harder than he ever had, and Akashi screamed as he hears his own voice taunt him from the darkness he knew was in himself, "Your defeat is absolute, I who always win, am always right. What are you, Akashi Seijuro? You have lost so much. Your mother, your team, your game. And you said so yourself, losers are denied. You are denied, Akashi Seijuro. You have lost Tetsuya and you are denied..."

 

 

Akashi opens his eyes to a Kuroko with eyes even wider than usual, laced with concern as he shook Akashi worriedly, grasping him by both shoulders, before pulling him into a firm hug, holding and steadying the shaking redhead. Akashi's eyes were wide open, the terror of loss even if it were only a dream catching up to him, and he buries his head in Kuroko's shoulder, if only to muffle the sobs that escape.

Kuroko pulls away, and Akashi regrets that they couldn't stay that way forever. Just him in Kuroko's embrace, soft and firm and warm, with the feel of calloused finger tips running through his scalp or pressing against his back. Kuroko holds Akashi at arms length, and reaches to wipe a tear off Akashi's eye with a thumb, a strange expression on his face. And still, he reads Akashi all too well, and guides him to his super-single bed -- too large to share with Daiki or Ryouta or god forbid Murasakibara or Midorima, but just nice to share with Akashi. Kuroko tucks Akashi in under a blanket, before settling himself down cross legged, placing a pillow in his lap and guiding Akashi's head towards it. And Akashi's erratic breathing calms to match each stroke of Kuroko's fingers as they sweep through his hair.

 

When the second round of nightmares storm into Akashi's subconciousness in its already fragile state, Akashi screams and thrashes, barely noticing Kuroko when he runs in and tries to sooth Akashi but to no avail. Akashi can't do anything but cover his ears and scream and scream and scream, body wracked with tremors as new terrors rampage his mind. Then he feels the warmth of breathing on his nose, the press of lips, soft and hesitant and pliant, and the taste of vanilla that flooded his senses, chasing away the darkness, and finally Akashi stills, almost spent, but he kisses back until Kuroko pulls away and just holds him, murmuring a string of it's okay-s and then I-L-o-v-e-Y-o-u-s

This time they fall asleep in each others arms, and Akashi knew that their sleep would remain undisturbed till morning, or possibly afternoon.


End file.
